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A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. Often there are times we need to share a picture, or screenshot, of our desktop computer. Maybe it’s to show a friend something, for print material, or to show your IT support (*hint*) what error message you’re getting. 1. Windows Vista, my second favorite method, easiest method, free:
For your Mac: http://guides.macrumors.com/Taking_Screenshots_in_Mac_OS_X Related posts |
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Archive for July, 2008
3 Ways to Take Screenshots
July 31st, 2008
19 Portrait Photography Tutorials
July 29th, 2008 |
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I happened upon a fantastic collection of photography tutorials last night. If you enjoy taking pictures, these are a must see: How to Take Portraits Photographing Children – “Probably the most important tip I’ve learned in photographing them is to get on their level. So many of my friends show me photos of their kids which are taken from 4 or so feet above the child which does nothing but dwarf them and make them look almost toy-like.” Candid Shots – “… when you shoot multiple images quickly of a person you can sometimes get some surprising and spontaneous shots that you’d have never gotten if you shot just one. Switch your camera to continuous shooting mode and shoot in bursts of images and in doing so you’ll increase your chances of that perfect shot.” Keep it Simple – “The more complex your scene is the more unlikely you are to get a shot that is the X factor. Keep your backgrounds (and foregrounds) uncluttered, work with natural light where you can, if you have to use artificial light keep it simple and use as few lights as possible.” Related posts |
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5 Ways to Reduce Your Printing Costs
July 23rd, 2008 |
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Remember the Milk (task management)
July 22nd, 2008 |
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I am forever in search of the perfect task management solution. I use Outlook mostly, but as it has become more important to share tasks with other people and also manage tasks on the go (mobile), I still look for more features. About two week ago I tried Remember the Milk (RTM) and I’m real pleased with it. RTM allows you to create tasks, set due dates, and manage them from any computer online. They have an iGoogle gadget to bring it all on to one screen. They give you a unique email address that you can send to from anywhere to quickly add new tasks for yourself. Get reminders via TXT/SMS to your cell. RTM syncs with everything, such as your cell (BlackBerry/iPhone/Windows Mobile), Twitter, Gmail, or even Outlook. You can use previously mentioned, Jott.com, to quickly dictate new tasks from your phone. Most importantly for me, I’ve enjoyed sharing tasks with other people (hehe). Once they sign up for RTM, you can share, update, and complete tasks. Signup for free at www.rememberthemilk.com Related posts |
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Fun with Photos
July 17th, 2008 |
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Looking to add a little fun to your photos? Kyolo lets easily add speech bubbles to liven them up. Its free, and doesn’t require registration. Just visit the site, click browse to select your photo, and enjoy! Related posts |
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What’s Your Start Page?
July 15th, 2008 |
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Use iGoogle start page to maximize your time. What page do you first see when you open your browser? For years I’ve used a blank start page so I can quickly go where I choose, without being distracted. I’ve always considered the start page an important decision. About three months ago I started using Google’s iGoogle page. I love it. You start with a default page full of “Gadgets” or, plugins. You can add or edit these to your taste. For example, a small box shows the weather, and a few others show several news sites I read. I especially love my task list right there. This “splash page” shows everything I need in a clean, consistent method that really helps out. To change your start page, or home page to iGoogle, simply visit www.google.com. I recommend you register with Google first, or just go straight to the small iGoogle link at the top right of the screen. If you’re using Internet Explorer, click the Tools menu, and select Internet Options. Click the Use Current button near the top. Hit OK. That’s it! Now, back on the iGoogle page, follow the onscreen instructions to setup your page to whatever your interests! Photo Gallery? Wikipedia? Quote of the Day? You pick them! Related posts |
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Misbehaving Pixels
July 11th, 2008 |
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Pixels are small dots of color on LCDs, or flat screens, that make up the big picture. The most annoying problem with new LCDs is that they often arrive from the factory with problems with one or more pixels: · Dead pixels. These are pixels that are permanently set off (not emitting any light at all). They show up as black dots. · Stuck pixels. These are pixels that are stuck emitting a single color (they appear as red, blue, or green spots). · Hot pixels. These are pixels that are stuck emitting bright white light. If any pixels on your LCD screen have any of these problems, you may notice a bright or black spot on your screen that either may not go away or may change over time.
Testing for misbehaving pixels:
· To test for stuck or hot pixels, use a partially black web page, or anything with a black background, and move it around the screen looking for red, green, blue, or bright or white spot. · To test for dead pixels, repeat the same process with a completely white area (notepad works). · Dead pixels cannot be revived, sadly. Stuck or hot pixels are another story.
Pixel problems don’t bother you? Enjoy! If you do discover problems, the LCD manufacturer often will replace the screen for free. However, some manufacturers have a “minimum dead pixel” policy. Samsung is one manufacturer that has a “zero dead pixel policy”. Related posts |
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How to prevent (some) SPAM
July 8th, 2008 |
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(the spam we forward on to friends, that is) Ever get forwarded emails about not buying gas on a certain day to help lower gas prices? Or, that Microsoft and AOL are giving their money away and all you have to do is forward this email to 10 people? If you don’t, you’ll have bad “luck” for 3 months! It’s all trash. For me, it’s SPAM. Some are pretty good with their mystical bantering. They’re often difficult to decipherer. Here’s the best way to learn the truth: Take some text from the subject line, or a few main words from the body, place quotes (” “s) around them, and search Google. You should find many sites verifying the email, or refuting it. For example, search “Barack Obama said that he had visited fifty-seven states” (http://tinyurl.com/6xrv3v) www.snopes.com is a well known authority on these fakes. If you see results from this site, they’re good. In fact, visit Snopes and click Hottest 25 Legends to see those top sellers. See if you recognize any you may have innocently forwarded on. Legit? Or not? Next time you get a wild email, verify it before you forward on. Related posts |
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Your Data Backup – IMPORTANT!
July 3rd, 2008 |
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The data you hold so precision is only as good as its backup. Your backup can only be trusted if it is monitored, verified, and tested. Related posts |
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How to Compete with Other Lemonade Stands
July 1st, 2008 |
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Although somewhat overrated for the average lemonade stand, almost humorous, this article still contains many truths about life and business. How I wish we could all master some of these basic principles. Here is snippet that particularly stood out to me: Be professional. No matter how badly your day may be going, you always want to look like you love selling lemonade and that the lemonade business is booming. Customers don’t want to hear about your problems, they want lemonade. And your customers are busy people, too. Be accommodating. If a customer doesn’t like the lemonade for some reason, listen to them to find out why, apologize, fix the problem, and offer them a free cup or refund. Unsatisfied customers may become your best customers if you impress them with your desire to make things right.” Related posts |
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